Key MAHA Architect Resigns Amid Frustration Over Health Policy Stalls
Calley Means resigns from White House, citing obstruction of food reform efforts.
3 min read
Calley Means, a key architect of the Make America Health Again (MAHA) alliance between President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has resigned from the White House, citing frustration with what he described as ‘dark forces in DC that profit from Americans getting sick.’ The resignation comes just 12 days before the midterm elections, as Means, a prominent advocate for nutrition policy reforms, publicly indicated that the administration is obstructing changes aimed at improving food policy.
Means, an author, wellness entrepreneur, and advocate for nutrition policy reforms, played a critical role in securing Kennedy’s endorsement of Trump during the 2024 election. Trump later appointed Kennedy as secretary of Health and Human Services, the nation’s most powerful health policy official. Despite his influence, Means has become a focal point of internal tensions within the administration, as officials have struggled to advance reforms that align with MAHA’s goals.
Administration officials have emphasized that food policy would be central to motivating Kennedy’s supporters to vote for Republicans in the midterms. However, Means has expressed concerns that bureaucratic hurdles and resistance from powerful corporate interests are hindering progress. He has also criticized the administration for using procedural delays as an excuse to block unpopular policies, particularly those that challenge the status quo in the food industry.
Means highlighted several key achievements of the MAHA movement, including the introduction of new dietary guidelines, expanded access to psychedelics for mental health treatment, and agreements with major food companies to remove food dyes. He also pointed to regulatory changes that would redefine the ‘generally recognized as safe’ (GRAS) pathway for food additives and establish a federal definition of ‘ultra-processed foods.’
I am resigning from the White House with tremendous respect for President Trump and Bobby Kennedy. They laid out a vision of combatting the entrenched, dark forces in DC that profit from Americans getting sick. More policy and cultural change has happened around these goals in the past 2 years than any time in history – and I know this movement is just getting started. It was an honor to advocate for MAHA moms in the administration and steer policies like Dietary Guidelines reform, psychedelic reform, removing soda from SNAP, removing food dyes, GRAS reform, and overhauling government food procurement.
Despite these efforts, Means has faced pushback from some administration officials, who have criticized his aggressive approach to reform. One former official described him as ‘the last principled warrior willing to stand up to corruption and special interests.’ However, the White House has reportedly canceled a meeting with Means and Kennedy to finalize a federal definition of ‘ultra-processed foods,’ a move that was initially leaked to POLITICO as a potential strategy to retain disaffected MAHA voters.
Two proposed rules on food changes are currently under consideration at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). These include replacing the GRAS pathway and standardizing the definition of ‘ultra-processed foods,’ which could impact school lunches, food labels, and dietary guidelines. Means, who has been a vocal advocate for removing food dyes from products like Skittles, has become a symbol of the broader movement for food transparency and health reform.
Source: Daily Caller
